Zen
Zen (real name: Hyun Ryu) is one of the Casual Story characters available in Mystic Messenger. Zen is a semi-successful actor/dancer/singer. He can come across as narcissistic about his looks, often posting selfies and exclaiming how handsome he is. However, while it may seem he cares about his appearance the most, he wants to be recognised and appreciated first and foremost for his career skills. Personality On the surface, Zen is known for being a very eccentric and flirtatious character. He will often talk about his looks, praising and complimenting himself for how attractive he his. As well as how talented he is when it comes to singing and acting. Zen tends to compare others to himself when it comes to looks, frequently telling Yoosung to work out to look half as good as he does. However he is very loyal and caring, especially to those he cares about. In conjunction, deep down Zen self doubts himself, wondering if people only see him for his looks, rather than his talents. As well as can be easily upset if something affects his career, almost going towards a very depressive state. He is known for pursuing larger and better musicals, offering up smaller ones or turning them down if the opportunity presented itself. Like many of the members, he has scars from his past which can't be forgotten. Appearance Zen is a tall young man with noticable muscle tone due to regular training. He is 182cm (71.65 inches) tall and his weigh is 75kg (165.3 pounds). He has grey-white hair with short bangs falling slightly over his eyes, and a low pony tail which reaches down his back. Zen's eyes are red and almond shaped. He is shown wearing multiple outfits, including a grey jacket with large buttons and a logo feature, a black turtleneck, tight fitting pants and black formal shoes. Background story Zen is the youngest son in his family, living with his mother, father and older brother, described as being a quite conservative family, his parents being teachers and older brother working as a lawyer. During his younger years, he would often be treated poorly from his parents, specifically his mother. Questioning who he got his looks from and frequently calling him ugly, causing a bridge between the two. Zen would often confide in his older brother, to which he would explain that his mother was only saying those things to 'protect him' of being used by others due to this looks and that Zen was extremely handsome. As he entered middle school, Zen gained a boost in confidence due to his looks, as well he began finding out his passion in acting and music, to which his mother strongly disagreed with, believing that he should of become a doctor or lawyer like his brother. During these years, he finds out that his older brother had betrayed him, siding with his mother for him to drop his silly hobby and diligently study to become successful like him. Due to this, Zen dropped out of school and ran away from home, renting an apartment, barely surviving with the rent whilst working small jobs here and there. After finishing work, he meets Rika with a bouquet of roses, to which she praises him for his talents and states she's been watching him ever since his first musical appearance. Rika then persuades him to meet V and to get a photograph together, as well as telling him she knows someone who can help him become successful. To which he meets Jumin Han and instantly gains a dislike for him, denying him of his offers. Then later, Zen eventually joins the RFA. Casual Story SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!! When you start Zen's route, both Zen and yourself will become very close, apparent to the other members of RFA. Throughout the route until a day or two before the very end, Jaehee will be considerably against the idea of you and Zen being together due to the possibility of the relationship ruining his career. He will get offered a new and larger role to work with the famous Echo Girl. At some point Zen will sprain his ankle due from over-exertion from practicing his new role. After a couple days, Zen meets Echo Girl whilst buying Goldfish-Bread in front of his house. As well after multiple times of mentioning you visit Zen to cheer him up, Jumin is able to set up a driver to take you to see him on the condition that you are able to convince Zen to do the cat commercial modelling. After you leave, Echo Girl will visit Zen at night and attempt to woe him, although he rejects her and sends her back to her manager. The next day, Echo Girl meets Jumin and threatens to ruin his career with drama, later meeting up with Zen with the same threat. Resulting in the next day for her to accuse Zen of sexually assaulting her, and that Jumin Han is indeed homosexual. At some point near the end of Zen's route, Unknown is able to hack into the defense system of Rika's apartment and disable the protection over the apartment, causing the issue that if you leave, the apartment will explode. Then later breaking and entering the apartment. Depending on the ending, Zen will either be able to save you and you stay at his place until the party, or you will be both kidnapped by Unknown. 'Good Ending' Zen announces to the guests and RFA members that he is in a relationship with you after deliveri ng an honest speech to clear his name against Echo Girl's claims. In the 'EXTRA' - 2 years later, he is a famous actor while Echo Girl's reputation has completely fallen down hill. You visit him during set and its implied you've been living with each other for two years. Its unknown if you're married but can be implied due to the (total) cringes o n how much he appreciates you being with him. 'Normal Ending' Zen delivers an honest speech to clear his name against Echo Girl's claims, but decides not to mention his relationship to you, keeping his private life separate from his work life. 'Bad Ending' 1. You marry Zen, but have untrusting relationship with him. 2. Unknown kidnaps you and Zen, converting you to join Magenta and hypnotizes Zen to act for the rest of his life. 3. Zen loses his reputation as an actor after delivering a weak speech on live television without any evidence to back him up. He tells you to wait for him until he can rebuild his career. Connections Yoosung Yoosung is a good friend of Zen and both talk normally to each other. Zen often tries to help him to quit gaming so that Yoosung can find a girlfriend. Zen is a moralizer if this topic comes out and means it in a good way. It looks like Zen doesn't actually take Yoosung seriously but Zen gives him always the chance to him to show what he can. Zen even knows that Yoosung is jealous of his good looks. 707 Zen and 707 are as normal friends as Zen with Yoosung. Zen is even here a moralizer and tells 707 always so eat proper meals for his health. Zen describes him as a crazy boy who has talent in hacking. He doesn't understand how 707 adores cats like Jumin. But Zen knows that 707 isn't a bad guy and really takes care of him (which you can see in Yoosung's route as Zen lived for a short time with 707 and looked after 707's health and apartment). Jumin Han The connection between Zen and Jumin are not that well. Zen described Jumin often as a jerk and a trust fund kid who care about his money and can't do anything without his father or Jaehee. Zen tries to avoid him and doesn't like to talk to him. When both are talking to each other it often comes to a conflict in which Zen wants to be serious. Zen hates it how much Jumin provokes him with cats or his side of view about him. But Zen said one time that he never said he doesn't like Jumin as a person. Zen even says to us that we should just ignore Jumin. Nonetheless, it does not seem like Jumin dislikes Zen, having extended offers of jobs / sponsors to Zen. He even seems a little wounded by Zen's vehement refusal of his help. Zen eventually does warm up to Jumin in his route. Zen himself states that he understands that his dislike of Jumin is somewhat irrational as it is partially based on the fact that Jumin's personality resembled his brother. Jaehee Kang Zen is on good terms with Jaehee as she is consistently praising him for both his looks and talents equally. He is also seen reprimanding Jumin for giving Jaehee a lot of work without rest and making her do things for him, showing his sincere care for Jaehee's health. He also confines his dislike for cats within Jaehee as she too, doesn't like cats. Sympathizing her when she is made to deal with Jumin Han's cat, Elizabeth the 3rd. Rika Zen is very grateful to Rika for recognizing his talent even when he was a complete no-name. V V rescued Zen when he was in a severe motorbike accident, and Zen is grateful to V for saving his life. Trivia *Zen is a smoker but he wants to quit. **His favorite cigarettes are from "Black Angel". *He is allergic to cats. *Zen met Rika after a performance from him 3 years ago. *Zen is a narcissist about his looks, and frequently posts selfies of himself. *He had a motorbike accident and V saved him. *Zen doesn't like Jumin Han to the point of actually discriminating him by rejecting his offers. This is due to him being born with everything he could ever want, whilst Zen has to work for it. He also reminds him of his older brother. *Zen has psychic dreams which often come true. *He heals at an incredibly rapid rate, and is commented by the RFA members that he had never caught a cold. *He debuted as a musical actor at a small theater company when he was 16 *He gained some publicity with the musical 'Tei's Tea Leaf' when he was 19 Category:Casual Story Category:Characters Category:Male